Hot Tuna
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
Hot Tuna is a blues rock ensemble from the United States, established in 1969 by ex-members of Jefferson Airplane, guitarist and vocalist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady. Despite various personnel changes over the years, Kaukonen and Casady have consistently remained the group's primary members.
1969–1973: Origins
Initially conceived as a side project during Grace Slick's recovery from vocal cord surgery, Hot Tuna began as an offshoot of Jefferson Airplane. The band was originally called Hot Shit before adopting the name Hot Tuna, inspired by a phrase in the song "Keep On Truckin'".[1] Early performances featured Kaukonen, Casady, Paul Kantner, and drummer Joey Covington at venues like The Matrix in San Francisco, prior to Jefferson Airplane resuming tours for their album Volunteers. While Spencer Dryden remained the main drummer until 1970, Covington played on select dates.[2] During this time, Hot Tuna opened for Jefferson Airplane. Their initial repertoire combined Kaukonen’s Airplane songs with covers of American country and blues legends such as Reverend Gary Davis and Blind Blake.
In September 1969, Kaukonen and Casady performed acoustic shows under the Hot Tuna name at Berkeley's New Orleans House. Live recordings from these concerts were released as their first album, Hot Tuna (1970), which fans often refer to as the "breaking glass album" due to audible glass shattering during "Uncle Sam Blues".[3] Harmonica player Will Scarlett contributed to several tracks. Subsequently, Jorma’s brother Peter Kaukonen took over rhythm guitar duties from Kantner, while Jefferson Airplane co-lead singer Marty Balin participated in electric numbers; Peter was replaced by Paul Ziegler later in 1970.
During the summer of that year, RCA sponsored a recording session in Jamaica that remained incomplete because of financial issues involving Balin, who soon departed both groups.[4] In October 1970, violinist Papa John Creach joined both Hot Tuna and Jefferson Airplane. The two bands wrapped up a combined tour with performances at the Fillmore East in November.
In September 1970, Kaukonen and Casady staged two acoustic Hot Tuna concerts without Jefferson Airplane at Pepperland in San Rafael to favorable critical reception,[5] demonstrating Hot Tuna’s potential as an independent entity.
After Jefferson Airplane ceased regular touring late that year, Hot Tuna solidified its own identity with Kaukonen, Casady, drummer Sammy Piazza, and Creach, shifting toward an all-electric sound. This formation recorded First Pull Up, Then Pull Down (1971) live at Chateau Liberte near Los Gatos. The band also appeared on three tracks of Papa John Creach’s debut solo record and contributed to his follow-up album Filthy!
They followed with studio releases Burgers (1972) and The Phosphorescent Rat (1974), with Creach departing prior to the latter. Both albums predominantly featured Kaukonen’s songwriting. Notably, David Crosby lent backing vocals on "Highway Song" from Burgers, which also included keyboard parts by Nick Buck—a frequent studio collaborator who later joined the band on tour in 1977.
1974–1977: Era of the Power Trio
Ahead of the 1974 tour promoting The Phosphorescent Rat, Kaukonen dismissed Piazza to steer the band back towards a semi-acoustic approach. Kaukonen and Casady collaborated on Kaukonen's debut solo project, Quah. By mid-1974, Hot Tuna fully embraced a heavy rock direction, moving away from their acoustic performances. In October of that year, they made an appearance on the television program The Midnight Special.
The albums America's Choice (1975), Yellow Fever (1975), and Hoppkorv (1976) showcased the band as a power trio featuring drummer Bob Steeler, defining what Kaukonen referred to as their "rampage years." Kaukonen described this louder musical style simply as "just fun." His electric guitar playing incorporated complex effects such as the Roland Jet phaser, notably heard on tracks like "Funky #7" and "Serpent of Dreams." Their live performances were marked by extended improvisational segments and marathon shows lasting up to six hours. Despite this energetic approach, producer Harry Maslin encouraged a more conventional rock sound for Hoppkorv. Beginning in 1977, Kaukonen started performing solo sets before the band's shows, and by the end of that year, the trio concluded touring with a final concert at New York City's Palladium.
Although Hot Tuna sustained a loyal cult audience, their commercial success never matched that of Jefferson Airplane or Jefferson Starship. Most of their albums entered the Billboard Top 100 charts, with America's Choice reaching No. 75 and remaining on the charts for over ten weeks.
1978–1985: Break and Short-Lived Reunion
Disagreements between Kaukonen and Casady resulted in the cancellation of their planned 1978 tour; Kaukonen fulfilled some engagements as a solo artist. That same year, the double live album Double Dose was released, capturing performances from their previous tour. Both musicians explored new wave ventures—Casady with SVT and Kaukonen with Vital Parts. Kaukonen also issued his second solo album in 1979, while Grunt Records compiled Hot Tuna's work in the release Final Vinyl.
In 1983, Michael Falzarano (rhythm guitar) and Shigemi Komiyama (drums) joined forces with Kaukonen and Casady for a reunion tour that blended fresh material with classic songs. The band's shift toward harder rock and heavy metal received mixed responses, with some attendees leaving concerts prematurely.
1986–present
Hot Tuna reassembled in 1986, featuring producer Joey Balin on rhythm guitar until 1987. During 1987–88, Kantner joined the lineup, bringing Jefferson Airplane tunes into their repertoire. Grace Slick made a guest appearance at a single show at The Fillmore in March 1988. The band continued performing through 1989; Kaukonen and Casady also participated in the 1989 Jefferson Airplane reunion album and accompanying tour, where they presented acoustic Hot Tuna sets mid-concert. Subsequently, Hot Tuna resumed electric shows with Falzarano and drummer Joey Stefko added to the group. Harvey Sorgen succeeded Stefko on drums, while Galen Underwood contributed keyboards for their first new material album in nearly fourteen years—1990's Pair a Dice Found, which featured original compositions by Kaukonen and Falzarano.
Throughout the 1990s, Hot Tuna alternated between electric and acoustic styles. Their two Sweetwater albums predominantly showcased acoustic arrangements and included guest appearances from artists like Bob Weir, Maria Muldaur, and former Jefferson Starship bassist-keyboardist Pete Sears, who became a regular member throughout the decade.
On August 13, 1994, Kaukonen and Casady performed alongside "The Band & Friends," which included Bruce Hornsby, at Woodstock '94.
The 1997 live album Live in Japan reflected their early stripped-down sound, recorded at an intimate venue in Yokohama. Falzarano and Sears remained part of Hot Tuna until the early 2000s.
In 2004, mandolinist Barry Mitterhoff and drummer Erik Diaz joined Casady and Kaukonen. After Diaz left in August 2009, Skoota Warner took over drumming duties. In November 2010, Hot Tuna appeared as a semi-acoustic trio—Casady, Kaukonen, and Mitterhoff—at Levon Helm's Barn studio in Woodstock, New York. That same month, Kaukonen announced they had commenced work on their first studio album in two decades. The resulting record, Steady as She Goes, was released through Red House Records on April 5, 2011.
Early in 2011, guitarist Jim Lauderdale and harmonica player Charlie Musselwhite toured with Hot Tuna; Musselwhite was later joined by guitarists David Bromberg, Larry Campbell, Steve Kimock, G. E. Smith, along with vocalist Teresa Williams. Campbell and Williams—who contributed to Steady as She Goes—have continued touring with the group. In 2014, Justin Guip—engineer for both the album and recent Kaukonen solo projects—replaced Warner behind the drum kit.
Members
Hot Tuna has been active in live performances during the periods 1969–1977, briefly in 1983, and continuously from 1986 to the present.[6][7]
Current members
- Jack Casady – bass guitar (1969–1977, 1983, 1986–present)
- Jorma Kaukonen – lead guitar and vocals (1969–1977, 1983, 1986–present)
- Touring personnel
- Larry Campbell – rhythm guitar, vocals, violin, lap steel guitar (2011–present)
- Teresa Williams – vocals (2011–present)
- Justin Guip – drums (2014–present)
- Studio contributors
- Robert McCrimlisk – mandolin (2014–present)
- Christopher McGrath – banjo (2014–present)
Former members
- Joey Covington – drums (1969–1970; deceased 2013)
- Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar (1969, 1987–1988; deceased 2016)
- Marty Balin – vocals (1969–1970; deceased 2018)
- Peter Kaukonen – rhythm guitar (1969–1970, 1989–1990)
- Paul Ziegler – rhythm guitar (1970)
- Papa John Creach – electric violin (1970–1973; deceased 1994)
- Sammy Piazza – drums (1970–1973)
- Bob Steeler – drums (1974–1977)
- Michael Falzarano – rhythm guitar and vocals (1983, 1989–2002)
- Shigemi Komiyama – drums (1983)
- Joey Balin – rhythm guitar (1986–1987)
- Joey Stefko – drums (1989–1990)
- Harvey Sorgen – drums (1990–2000)
- Galen Underwood – keyboards (1990)
- Pete Sears – keyboards (1992–2001)
- Barry Mitterhoff – mandolin (2002–2014)
- Erik Diaz – drums (2004–2009)
- Skoota Warner – drums (2009–2014)
- Musicians involved in studio recordings and tours
- Will Scarlett – harmonica (1969–1971)
- Nick Buck – keyboards (1976–1978)
- Jim Lauderdale – rhythm guitar (2011)
- Charlie Musselwhite – harmonica (2011)
- David Bromberg – rhythm guitar (2011)
- Steve Kimock – rhythm guitar (2011)
- G. E. Smith – rhythm guitar (2011)
Timeline
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bar:Marty from:01/10/1969 till:01/01/1971 color:vocals
bar:Jack from:start till:end color:bass
[Note to user - The timeline data has been maintained as originally provided for accuracy.]
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at:01/05/1970 color:black layer-back # Album release dates indicated
at other dates as per original timeline
</timeline>
Lineups
| 1969 | 1969–1970 | 1970 | 1970 |
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| 1970–1973 | 1973 | 1973–1974 | 1974–1977 |
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| 1977–1983 | 1983 | 1983–1986 | 1986–1987 |
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Band inactive during this period |
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Band inactive during this period |
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| 1987–1988 | 1988–1989 | 1989–1990 | 1990 |
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| 1990–1992 | 1992–2000 | 2000–2001 | 2001–2002 |
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| 2002–2004 | 2004–2009 | 2009–2014 | 2014–present |
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Discography
- Hot Tuna (1970)
- First Pull Up, Then Pull Down (1971)
- Burgers (1972)
- The Phosphorescent Rat (1974)
- America's Choice (1975)
- Yellow Fever (1975)
- Hoppkorv (1976)
- Double Dose (1978)
- Pair a Dice Found (1990)
- Live at Sweetwater (1992)
- Live at Sweetwater Two (1993)
- Live in Japan (1997)
- And Furthurmore... (1999)
- Steady as She Goes (2011)
External links
- Articles with short description
- 1969 establishments in California
- 1977 disestablishments in California
- 1986 establishments in California
- American blues musical groups
- American blues rock musical groups
- Jam bands
- Jefferson Airplane
- Rock music groups from California
- Musical groups from San Francisco
- Musical groups established in 1969
- Musical groups disestablished in 1977
- Musical groups reestablished in 1983
- Musical groups reestablished in 1986
- RCA Records artists
- Relix Records artists
- Pages with reference errors
- Pages with script errors